


Her Last Goodbye

by temarihime



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Deer, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:34:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25653712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/temarihime/pseuds/temarihime
Summary: Temari never imagined she'd be making a speech - let alone in this situation.
Relationships: Nara Shikadai & Nara Shikamaru & Temari, Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	Her Last Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt was given by an anon tumblr. Read away loves.

The weather reflected her emotions that day; dark, cold, and unchanging. What started as a pitter-patter on the roof came in heavy drops that muffled the sounds of sobs and whispered words inside her home. The rain came in hard and constant like her tears - she had been crying for 24 hours straight - her only break was to go near the urn and held it close.

Today remained a blur; she had fake her smiles and manage to carry small conversations but it was all for show, inside, Temari had died with him. Temari lost Shikamaru - it so sudden, so unnatural that it still feels like she was in a dream. No amount of embrace and supporting hands could make it all okay. When everything was set for them to put him in the final resting place, she felt her legs nearly gave up. She can't - this is where Shikamaru belongs - in their home, next to his wife and child.

The deer came to pay their respect and every single one of his friends and clan members. Temari had set her foot down and refused to bury him on the cemetery. She wanted him close; she needed him inside the forest where the herd can protect him - Temari wanted to hide him from the cruel world that took him.

She heard her name being spoken by a soft voice - she can't look Chouji in the eyes. She knows he was broken too - Ino didn't even manage to come. It was an impromptu mission, Ino and Chouji lacked one member naturally her husband volunteered. What left as a perfect formation came back lacking one.

With her remaining strength, she finally said her last words to him;

"You always tell me I'm strong. You tell me to always remember that - but I guess you knew all along that I'd need all the strength in the world to bear your loss" Her hands started to tremble as the rain got heavier and heavier as if the sky is crying for her. It is as if heaven knows she's hurting.

"I always thought I'd go first".

"In all my prayers and offerings I pray that they take me before you because to live in a world where you don't exist is not worth living.   
I wish I could've prolonged that hug, that last kiss, that last I love you - I wish I could selfishly freeze time and keep you there" She tried to hold back her tears as memories of them tangled on their sheets on his last night with her.

"I woke up crying last night and there was no one to hold me. I cried and cried until there were no tears left. Everything reminds me of you - every little thing I see and hear screams of you and it hurts. It hurts that you're not here with me. It hurts and there is no one in the world right now that I want to comfort me except you" Shikadai stood next to her and bury his head to her side.

She wrapped her arm around him, it's just two of them now.

"I want your arms, your lips, your scent to envelop me, and all those things that I took for granted the most. It's hard to stand here and say goodbye when I know I'll never be able to - I will never be ready. Never"

"How do you even say goodbye to the love of your life?"

"But I wanted to thank you too"

"Thank you for the happiest years of my life. Thank you for turning this horrible troublesome woman to someone that wakes up every day with love. You may be gone from me but never in my heart. Meeting you was fate, Shikamaru."

"You are my once in a lifetime everything, a gentle reminder that someone like me still deserves some good in this world. But like all good things, you're taken away from us. You are a good man even if you deny it every day"

"I wish you're here. I wish you're not gone. I wish you'd come back to me. But the world is cruel like that. So I ask you to wait for me, okay? Smoke some cigarettes with Asuma and play Shogi to your heart's content with Shikaku - live the easy life you always wanted" That brought a smile to everyone's face. The sun finally showed itself as the rain became gentle drops. It's as if the sky was opening up to welcome him.

"No goodbyes, baby. Only see you later - and I know you're here. You're here in me and in our son. You're here in everyone's heart and memories. You're here in every cloud I see, in every gentle breeze, in the shadows of the day and night. You have always been mine, Shikamaru and I am thankful to have loved you and be loved by you. Rest easy, crybaby".

His gravestone stood in a clearing of her choice, the sun basks them with warmth, giving everyone the strength to comfort each other once more. Temari looked up to the sky and saw numerous clouds that Shikamaru will surely love.

As they march back home, with one last look behind her shoulder, she saw the herd lounge around his grave. She smiled to herself as the memory of him lounging around the same clearing years ago, surrounded by the deer flooded her heart.


End file.
